Electrical fixture and fan support



Sept. 22, 1931. E. D. DAVIS ET AL I ELECTRICAL FIXTURE AND FAN SUPPORT Filed April 4. 1930 VENTORS 11 15 Payne.

2.5 P. 7.- BY V ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1931 it UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELMER D. DAVIS AND ROBERT T. PAYNE, OF EL PASO, TEXAS ELECTRICAL FIXTURE AND FAN SUPPORT Application filed April 4, 1930. Serial No.441,577.

Our invention relates to. improvements in electrical accessories such as used in wiring residences and the like for electric current distribution and it consists of the construc- 5 tions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a support by which either a'lighting fixture or a ceiling fan can be hung from an out 10 let box with a minimum effort and this without havingto revolve the fixture or fan in order to screw or otherwise secure it in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support which will automatically asim sume a perpendicular hanging position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a support by means of which electrical fixtures and ceiling fans can he hung without the use of the customarily employed so-called extension.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a cross section of a complete outlet box assemblage embodying the invention, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a detail cross section taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1,

the hanger bolt being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the improved bracket.

Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating a modified form of the hanger bolt which in this instance is adapted to support a ceiling fan, parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 5 is a detail section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4, a portion of the hanger bolt being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 6 is a plan View of the hanger bracket of Figures 4 and 5, which in this instance is provided with four arms instead of two as in Figure 3.

As already indicated in the foregoing brief statements it is one of the purposes of the invention to simplify the operation of installing electrical fixtures, fans and the like upon the ceilings of rooms. This is customarily done by using what is known as extensions, and usually it is necessary to revolve the fixture or fan in respectto these extensions in order to screw the device in place. Both the extensions and the screwing operation are dispensed with according to the improvement, it being only necessary to hang the device in place in the outlet box with a single motion after having prepared the device on the floor.

Figure 1 illustrates in part a common outlet box assemblage in which 1 is the outlet box that is secured to a metal header or hanging bar 2 and has attached thereto a pair of pipe conduits 3 each of which is secured by a bushing 4 and lock nut 5. A plaster ring 6 is attached at 7 to the rim of the box 1, and the installation assemblage is such that the lower edge of the plaster ring will. come flush with the nether surfaceof the plaster 8. The opening is later covered by a cupola which is slid up the shank of the fixture or fan and secured in the well known manner.

Customarily the bottom of the outlet box 1 is provided with. holes 9 variously distributed so that nails or screws can be driven through into a joist, lath or any other convenient support. These holes are employed as places through which stove bolts 10 are inserted to secure the box to the metal header 2. The headsrof the bolts are seated in bevelled holesll in arms 12- of a bracket 13 which is one of the parts of the invention.

This bracket has a depression 14 which may be central or otherwise. Its purpose is to define a recess 15 to receive the head 16 of a hanger bolt 17. In order that the bolt may be suspended by merely presenting the head to the bracket'the depression 14 is cut out at 18 to provide a head entrance 1 which merges with a narrower passage 19 to be occupied by the adjoining part of the shank of the bolt. The head entrance is so disposed in respect to the passage 19' that end walls 19 are formed preventing the sliding out of the head after it is once set 5 in place. The bolt must be lifted before removal will be possible.

In practice the hanger bolt 17 will be socured to the electrical fixture prior to its installation. The necessary work will be or on some'other support.

'the hanger'bolt 1n place the workman has CTl done with the fixture reclining on the floor Having gotten only to hoist it into position and find the head entrance 18 whereupon the head 16 is slipped in and dropped until it rests in the recess i c 1 I I It will be seen-at once that the fixture will assume a perfectly. perpendicular hanging position. The head 16 will be capable of adapting itself slightly so that this position can be assumed. Although the connection of the fixture with the bracket 13 at the head 16 is loose et it is adequately firm, An ad- 7 Y 1 a U vantage of the loose connection is that vi- V bration's; will be stopped to some degree at the suspension point of the head 16 so that the life of the lampfilaments will not be prematurely ended. V .7

v In addition to the bevelled holes 11 the arms 12 are provided with straight-sided holes Theseareusetul' at times 7 when stove bolts cannot be had, In such a case it is better to fit the bolt in a straight sided. hole. r e

Fi ures 4 5 and'6 disclose a su aort which 7 .0 7

I is especially adapted to the installation of ceiling tans. In order to compensatefor the additional weight the bracket 13 is provided with an extra pair of arms (Fig. 6). These make it possible to secure the bracket at four points ratherthan two as in the instance ofthe bracket in. Figure 8. Otherwise the bracket is identical with the simpler form as indicated by corresponding reference numerals.

' The hanger bolt :17 terminates in a cup likesleeve 21 which is internally threaded to 'receive the stem 22:0f-a ceiling fan (not shown); The sleeve is perforated at 23 to admitthecurrent cable. After affixing the sleeve 21 to the stem 22 and setting it by means of a screw 24 the entire device is hoistedto position in the outlet box 1 where'- npon the head 16is seated in the recess 15 in the manner already described;

It is thus obvious that the invention comprises an improved combination for the support ofelectrical fixtures and the like. The bolts 10 establish the combination of'the bracket,18fwiththe.outletfbox 1. In addi- Y tion to attaching-the bracket 13 to the 'outlet box these bolts secure the outlet box to the header plate'2; The bolts are thus de- 1 pended upon for the double purpose and it is through them that the combination'of the bracket 13 with the outlet box is effected While the construction and arrangement 'otthe improved electrical fixture and fan support isnthat of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes 'nay be' made. withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the I claims.

We claim 1. In combination with an outlet box, its I in the ring opening." 'i

2. A support forelectrical fixtures and the like comprising-an outlet box, a bracket hav ing armswith-meansfor attaching them to the bottom of the box, a depression offset from the arms facing the open side of the box, said depression having'a cut-out in one side with; a communicating passage extending toward the center of the depression and defining end walls, and a hanger bolt having a head and a portion of its shank intro duced at the cut-out and passage for suspension from the depression. Y L 3. A support; comprising a bracketlhaving arms attachable toa mounting, and'adepression between the arms to definea recess, oneside and a portion of the bottom of said depression having a cut-out and a commun cating passage for the reception of the head and'shank of a hanger bol the bottom of the depression to c'ommunicate with the cut-out but being narrower than the cut-out to define end walls.

ELMER. 1);. DAVIS. ROBERT T; PAYNE;

. v 4. A support comprislng arms, and a de- 

